Connected TVs to outsell consoles this year

There will be almost twice as many connected TVs as games consoles in the UK by 2016, according to a report by Inform Telecoms and Media.

It found that worldwide sales of connected TVs will outstrip games consoles for the first time this year.

While Microsoft, Nintendo and Sony will sell 37 million consoles this year, consumers are expected to buy 52 million connected TVs from the likes of Samsung, Sony and LG.

It means that by 2016 there will be an anticipated 47.43 million connected TVs in the UK compare to 25.7 million games consoles.

Informa expects that almost 99% of all TVs sold in 2016 will come with internet connectivity.

“Until now, many online video services were launched primarily with the game console in mind, mainly because console users innately understand how to connect these devices and demand interactive video services from them.

“However, this is beginning to change as connected TVs bring these services to a mainstream audience,” said analyst at Informa Telecoms & Media Andrew Ladbrook.

According to Informa media-streaming devices will be “the main loser” because they will struggle to move beyond the niche status they currently occupy.

“This has major implications for players that have launched stand-alone boxes, not least Apple. Informa believes that, if Apple is to win in the connected home, it must launch a TV, or at least turn its Apple TV device into something more than a convenient way to access video via iTunes.”